Connecting link for tire anti-skid chains

ABSTRACT

A connecting link member for an anti-skid chain for tires in which the link member has a recess to receive chain links and an opening in one side of the link member giving access to the recess. A closure member in the form of two jaws is clamped into said opening with the jaws in opposed relation and traversed by a clamping bolt. The closure member includes a portion extending across said recess to the other side of the link member and dividing the recess into two parts each adapted to receive a respective chain link.

United States Patent [1 1 Muller llll 3,714,975

CONNECTING LINK FOR TIRE ANTI- SKID CHAINS Inventor: Anton Muller,Unterkochen/Wurttemburgh, Germany [75] Assignee: Pistor-Kette GmbH,Wuppertal- Cronenberg, Germany l22| Filed: Sept. 28, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 75,925

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 26, 1969 Germany ..P 19 48718.4

52 us. Cl. .....is2/243 151 1 Int. Cl ..B60c 25/04 [58] Field of Search152/243 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,431,981 12/1947Asbury 152/243 1 Feb. 6, 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 551,46612/1959 Belgium 152/243 87,585 4/1956 Norway 152/243 PrimaryExaminer-James B. Marbert AttorneyWalter Becker [57] ABSTRACT Aconnecting link member for an anti-skid chain for tires in which thelink member has a recess to receive chain links and an opening in oneside of the link member giving access to the recess. A closure member inthe form of two jaws is clamped into said opening with the jaws inopposed relation and traversed by a clamping bolt. The closure memberincludes a portion extending across said recess to the other side of thelink member and dividing the recess into two parts each adapted toreceive a respective chain link.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures CONNECTING LINK FOR TIRE ANTI-SKID CHAINSThe present invention concerns a connecting link for anti-skid chainsfor tires, especially a web-shaped double-hooked link with at least onereceiving opening for the links to be interconnected and with an insertopening which leads into the receiving opening and is defined by twolink legs arranged in spaced relationship to each other, said insertopening being adapted to be closed by closure member.

It is an object of this invention to provide a connecting link of theabove mentioned type which will have an improved strength while beingsimple in construction.

This object and other objects and advantages of the invention willappear more clearly from the following specification in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a connecting link according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line Il-ll of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the link according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the link of FIG. 1 but without the closuremember.

FIG. 5 is section taken along the line V-V of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 shows a view of the two closing jaws ofthe closing memberaccording to FIG. 1 as seen from the right-hand side of the drawing.

FIG. 8 represents a further embodiment of a link according to thepresent invention in a view similar to that of FIG. 1.

The connecting link according to the present invention is characterizedprimarily in that the closing member, which perpendicularly to thecentral plane of the link, has two jaws adapted to be clamped towardeach other and that the said closing member extends at both sides aroundthe link legs which define the insert opening, and furthermorecharacterized in that the said jaws, which preferably are formed byseparate parts, are adapted to be clamped against the lateral surfacesof said link legs. A design of this type results in increased strengthof the closed connecting link. The two jaws may in a simple manner beformed by separate parts.

A considerable increase in the strength of the connecting link is due tothe fact that the closure member extends preferably in a positive manneraround the link legs which define the insert opening. Expediently, thelink web, which is located opposite the insert opening, is at both sidesprovided preferably with groove-like depressions for engagement by theclosing member so that the latter will be precisely fixed in itsassembled position and cannot be displaced accidentally. Advantageously,the said depressions end in spaced relationship to the outer surface ofthat link web which faces away from the insert opening so that when theconnecting link is designed for instance as a web-like running link of atire protective anti-skid. chain, a wear of the closing member duringthe wear of the running web, which is located opposite the insertopening, will be avoided.

Particularly when employing the connecting link according to theinvention as a running link of a tire antiskid chain, it is alsoexpedient to have the closing member extend around the inner surface ofthat link web which is located opposite to the insert opening because insuch an instance the closing member will form a transverse central webof the connecting link, which transverse central web supports therunning web with regard to the tire abutment web which has the insertopening.

According to a simple embodiment of the link according to the invention,the link comprises a preferably oblong receiving opening which issub-divided into two individual openings by the closing member.

For purposes of obtaining a particularly safe mount ing of the closingmember at the ends of the web legs, the latter have their ends designedin the manner of a dovetail while preferably the longitudinal centralplanes of said dovetails are located in the central plane of the link.

In order to prevent a displacement of the closing member parallel to thelongitudinal central plane of the connecting link and perpendicularlywith regard to the longitudinal direction of the link legs, thosecounter elements associated with the link legs and pertaining to theclosing member have abutment surfaces supported at the inner surfaces ofthe link legs.

For further simplifying the handling of the connecting link according tothe present invention, the jaws are by means of a bolt, preferably acountersunk screw bolt, adapted to be adjusted relative to each other.Said screw bolt is, for purposes of securing a space saving and safemounting, arranged approximately symmetrically with regard to thecentral plane of the insert opening, preferably within the region of thereceiving opening, and may have a diameter which is smaller than thewidth of the insert opening.

A substantial increase in the strength of the connecting link accordingto the invention may also be obtained by having the closing memberexceeded as to height laterally by extensions which are provided on thelateral surfaces of the link web which is located opposite to the insertopening. Furthermore, the closing member has .its pertaining end facesin engagement with said extensions.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and FIGS. 1 to 6 thereof inparticular, the connecting link 1 shown therein is a drop-forged elementwhich has substantially the shape of a flat web while comprising twolongitudinal webs 2, 3 which form the longitudinal edge surfaces 4, 5 ofthe web link 1 These longitudinal edge surfaces 4, 5 merge throughrounded portions 7, 8 with the end edge surfaces 6 while between thelongitudinal webs 2, 3 there is provided an oblong receiving opening 9.

The longitudinal edge surface 4 of the connecting I link 1 forming arunning link is designed as running surface and comprises two individualsurfaces 10 which with the longitudinal plane of the link 1 define anobtuse angle. The substantially plane parallel side surfaces 11 of therunning web 2 comprising the running surface 4 and pertaining to theconnecting link I are, in the center of the length of said connectinglink 1, provided with two extensions 12 which laterally protrude andwhich, according to the side view of FIG. 1, are of an approximatelysquare shape. The circumferential surfaces 13-15 of the extensions 12extend toward the end surface 16 at a small angle while at the same timeextending toward each other. The distance of the lateral surfaces 16 ofthe two extensions 12 from each other is approximately twice as great asthe cross-sectional width of the running web 2 in the remaining range,as measured perpendicularly with regard to the longitudinal centralplane. The extensions 12 from the running surface 4 extend only over aportion of the cross-sectional height of the running web 2 and throughthe intervention of sharply springing-in edges 17 merge with the sidesurfaces 18 of that section of the connecting link 1 which comprises thereceiving opening 9.

The running web 2, which cross section-wise is substantially squareshape, merges through roundings 21 with the approximately plane innersurface 22 of the receiving opening 9, which inner surface is locatedtoward the running surface 4 and approximately parallel thereto. Thelength of said receiving opening 9 corresponds approximately totwo-thirds of the length of the link while said receiving opening 9 hasits ends rounded semi-circularly.

At both sides of the extensions 12 in the running surface 4 of therunning web 2 there are provided groovelike depressions 27 the sidesurfaces of which converge toward the running surface 4 while the bottomsurfaces 30 extend in the longitudinal direction of the web member 1.The lateral surfaces 29 are so designed as to directly merge with thelateral circumferential surfaces 15.

The abutment web 3, which forms the tire-engaging surface 5, has aninsert opening 31 which is divided at both sides by two web legs 32protruding freely toward each other and can be introduced by the linksinto the receiving opening 9. The insert opening 31 can be closed by aclosure member 33.

The ends of the web legs 32 are formed by dovetails 34, the centralplane of which is located in the central plane of the connecting link 1.The ends of said web legs 32 are embraced by the closure member 33 in apositive manner. At both side surfaces 11 of the running web 2 andlocated opposite to the insert opening 31, there are provided betweenthe extension 12 and the inner surface 22 groove-shaped recesses-35 thewidth of which corresponds approximately to the extension of theextensions 12 in the longitudinal direction of the connecting link 1.

The closure member 33 has two jaws 36, 37 which are formed by separateparts. The dividing plane of jaws 36, 37 is located along thelongitudinal central plane of the connecting link 1 while the outershape of said jaws is substantially the same. The two jaws 36, 37 differfrom each other merely in that the jaw 36 has a countersunk passage 38for a screw bolt 40, whereas the jaw 37 is provided with an innerthreaded bore 39 for said screw bolt. The two jaws 36, 37 are, whenviewed from the side, of a T-shape in conformity with FIG. 1, while theT-webs 41 at the ends of said T-webs 41 have those inner sides whichface each other provided with one-half of dovetail shape openings 42which correspond to the dovetails 34 and extend in a positive mannertherearound. The dovetail openings 42 extend only approximately to themerging area of the T-foot web 43 with the T-transverse webs 41 so thatthe recesses 42 form face adjacent abutment surfaces 44 which engage theinner surface of the web legs 32.

The free ends of the T-foot .webs 43 have the inner surfaces thereofwhich face each other provided with annular recesses 45 in such a waythat the T-foot webs extend around the lateral surfaces as well as theinner surfaces 22. The end sections 46, which pertain to the foot webs43 and are tapered in view of the recesses 45, positively engage thegrooves 35. The end faces 47 of these end sections rest against theinclined circumferential surfaces 14 of the extensions 12, so that thejaws 36, 37 when being clamped together by means of bolt 40 will also,parallel to the longitudinal central plane of link 1 and vertically withregard to the webs 2, 3, be clamped between said webs 2, 3. Said endfaces 47 rest against those inclined circumferential surfaces 14 whichface the receiving opening 9. The clamping bolt 40 is mounted in theT-foot webs 43 of the jaws 36, 37 and is located within the region ofthe receiving opening 9 while its diameter is shorter than the width ofthe insert opening 31.

Whereas, the extensions 12 form widened portions 13 of the runningsurface 4 of link 1, which widened portions 13 laterally protrude beyondthe closure member 33, those outer surfaces 48 of the two jaws 36, 37which face away from said widened portions 13 form a widened portion ofsaid tire-engaging surface, said jaws 36, 37 being located in thetire-engaging surface 5 of web 3. I

As will be seen in particular from FIG. 5, the distance between thelateral surfaces 18 of the web link is less than the distance of thelateral surfaces 11 of the running web from each other and equals thedistance between the lateral surfaces 23 of the abutment web 3. Theabutment web 3 has approximately rectangular cross sections. The heightof the cross section of the abutment web 3 amounts to only approximatelyonethird of the cross-sectional height of the running web 2.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 8, the extensions 12a arelongitudinally rectangular in the longitudinal direction of theconnecting link 1a while the width of the grooves 35a is somewhatgreater than the corresponding extension of the extensions 12a.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by nomeans, limited to the particular showing in the drawings, but alsocomprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A connecting link for anti-skid chains for tires, especially a doublehook link adapted to be employed as a running link and comprising: alink member having ends with inclined faces respectively at boundarylocation thereof and sides and at least one recess for receiving chainlink means, a slot-like opening leading into said recess from one sideof the link member for insertion and removal of said chain link means,and closure means for closing said opening to lock said chain link meansin said recess, said closure means comprising a pair ofjaw membersengaging to complement opposite inclined faces of said link member in aninclined mating clamp force interface relationship adjacent saidslotlike opening, and means fixedly clamping said jaw member together.

2. A connecting link according to claim 1 in which said closure meansincludes a portion extending from the side of the link member havingsaid opening therein to the other side of the link member, said otherside of said link member having notches in the opposite faces thereof,and said portion of said closure means having end parts seated in saidnotches.

3. A connecting link according to claim 2 in which each jaw member has arespective part of said portion and a said end part thereon, each saidend part extending from the outer region of the respective part of saidportion whereby said end parts and said parts of said portions define arecess opening toward and adapted to receive said other side of saidlink member.

4. A connecting link according to claim 1 in which said recess iselongated in a direction parallel to the sides of said link and saidopening is in about the middle of the length of said recess, said jawmembers each comprising a portion extending laterally across said recessto the other side of said link member and embracing said other side ofsaid link member and subdividing said recess into two sections each ofwhich is adapted to receive a respective chain link.

5. A connecting link according to claim 4 in which the faces of saidlink member at opposite boundary sides of said opening are formed byfreely projecting ends with dovetails thereon, said jaw members at theends thereof overlying said dovetails and having complementaryconfigurations, each said dovetail having opposite surfaces whichconverge in a direction away from said opening, and said jaw membersincluding abutment surfaces to abut the ends of said dovetails whichface each other.

6. A connecting link according to claim 5 which includes a boltconnecting said jaw members, said bolt having a diameter smaller thanthe said opening, said bolt disposed in said jaw members in about thecentral plane of said opening and within the range of said recess.

7. A connecting link according to claim 6 in which said jaw members areT-shaped when viewed in a direction perpendicular to one face of saidlink member, the ends of the transverse bar portion of said jaw memberspositively engaging opposite faces of said link member adjacent saidopening, said jaw members when viewed from the side of said link memberhaving said opening therein presenting a widened region toward the saidone side of the link.

8. A connecting link for anti-skid chains for tires, especially a doublehook link adapted to be employed as a running link and comprising: alink member having ends and sides and at least one recess for receivingchain link means, a slot-like opening leading into said recess from oneside of the link member for insertion and removal of said chain linkmeans, and closure means for closing said opening to lock said chainlink means in said recess, said closure means comprising a pair of jawmembers engaging opposite faces of said link member adjacent saidslot-like opening, and means fixedly clamping said jaw members together,said recess being elongated in a direction parallel to the sides of saidlink and said opening being in about the middle of the length of saidrecess, said jaw members each comprising a portion extending laterallyacross said recess to the other side of said link member and embracingsaid other side of said link member and subdividing said recess into twosections each of which is adapted to receive a respective chain link,the faces of said link member at opposite sides of said opening beingformed with dove ails thereon, said aw members at the ends thereofoverlying said dovetails and having complementary configurations, eachsaid dovetail having opposite surfaces which converge in a directionaway from said opening, and said jaw members including abutment surfacesto abut the ends of said dovetails which face each other, a boltconnecting said jaw members, said bolt having a diameter smaller thanthe said opening, said bolt being disposed in said jaw members in aboutthe central plane of said opening and within the range of said recess,said jaw members being T- shaped when viewed in a directionperpendicular to one face of said link member, the ends of thetransverse bar portion of said jaw members positively engaging oppositefaces of said link member adjacent said opening, said jaw members whenviewed from the side of said link member having said opening thereinpresenting a widened region toward the said oneside of the link, theopposite faces of said link member on theside of said link memberopposite theside thereof having said opening therein comprise lateralprojections protruding outwardly beyond the outer faces of said jawmembers, said projections engaging the adjacent ends of the vertical barportions of said jaw members, said projections extending longitudinallyof said link member at least over the same range as the said adjacentends of said vertical bar portions of said jaw members.

9. A connecting link according to claim 1 in which each boundarylocation of the opening at a time on both sides of said link member hasan inclined clamping surface therewith and that both clamping surfacesare formed by dovetail configuration of said link member.

10. A connecting link according to claim 9 in which greatest width ofsaid link member is approximately so great as thickness of said linkmember in range of the opening.

1. A connecting link for anti-skid chains for tires, especially a doublehook link adapted to be employed as a running link and comprising: alink member having ends with inclined faces respectively at boundarylocation thereof and sides and at least one recess for receiving chainlink means, a slot-like opening leading into said recess from one sideof the link member for insertion and removal of said chain link means,and closure means for closing said opening to lock said chain link meansin said recess, said closure means comprising a pair of jaw membersengaging to complement opposite inclined faces of said link member in aninclined mating clamp force interface relationship adjacent saidslot-like opening, and means fixedly clamping said jaw membertogether.
 1. A connecting link for anti-skid chains for tires,especially a double hook link adapted to be employed as a running linkand comprising: a link member having ends with inclined facesrespectively at boundary location thereof and sides and at least onerecess for receiving chain link means, a slot-like opening leading intosaid recess from one side of the link member for insertion and removalof said chain link means, and closure means for closing said opening tolock said chain link means in said recess, said closure means comprisinga pair of jaw members engaging to complement opposite inclined faces ofsaid link member in an inclined mating clamp force interfacerelationship adjacent said slot-like opening, and means fixedly clampingsaid jaw member together.
 2. A connecting link according to claim 1 inwhich said closure means includes a portion extending from the side ofthe link member having said opening therein to the other side of thelink member, said other side of said link member having notches in theopposite faces thereof, and said portion of said closure means havingend parts seated in said notches.
 3. A connecting link according toclaim 2 in which each jaw member has a respective part of said portionand a said end part thereon, each said end part extending from the outerregion of the respective part of said portion whereby said end parts andsaid parts of said portions define a recess opening toward and adaptedto receive said other side of said link member.
 4. A connecting linkaccording to claim 1 in which said recess is elongated in a directionparallel to the sides of said link and said opening is in about themiddle of the length of said recess, said jaw members each comprising aportion extending laterally across said recess to the other side of saidlink member and embracing said other side of said link member andsubdividing said recess into two sections each of which is adapted toreceive a respective chain link.
 5. A connecting link according to claim4 in which the faces of said link member at opposite boundary sides ofsaid opening are formed by freely projecting ends with dovetailsthereon, said jaw members at the ends thereof overlying said dovetailsand having complementary configurations, each said dovetail havingopposite surfaces which converge in a direction away from said opening,and said jaw members including abutment surfaces to abut the ends ofsaid dovetails which face each other.
 6. A connecting link according toclaim 5 which includes a bolt connecting said jaw members, said bolthaving a diameter smaller than the said opening, said bolt disposed insaid jaw members in about the central plane of said opening and withinthe range of said recess.
 7. A connecting link according to claim 6 inwhich said jaw members are T-shaped when viewed in a directionperpendicular to one face of said linK member, the ends of thetransverse bar portion of said jaw members positively engaging oppositefaces of said link member adjacent said opening, said jaw members whenviewed from the side of said link member having said opening thereinpresenting a widened region toward the said one side of the link.
 8. Aconnecting link for anti-skid chains for tires, especially a double hooklink adapted to be employed as a running link and comprising: a linkmember having ends and sides and at least one recess for receiving chainlink means, a slot-like opening leading into said recess from one sideof the link member for insertion and removal of said chain link means,and closure means for closing said opening to lock said chain link meansin said recess, said closure means comprising a pair of jaw membersengaging opposite faces of said link member adjacent said slot-likeopening, and means fixedly clamping said jaw members together, saidrecess being elongated in a direction parallel to the sides of said linkand said opening being in about the middle of the length of said recess,said jaw members each comprising a portion extending laterally acrosssaid recess to the other side of said link member and embracing saidother side of said link member and subdividing said recess into twosections each of which is adapted to receive a respective chain link,the faces of said link member at opposite sides of said opening beingformed with dovetails thereon, said jaw members at the ends thereofoverlying said dovetails and having complementary configurations, eachsaid dovetail having opposite surfaces which converge in a directionaway from said opening, and said jaw members including abutment surfacesto abut the ends of said dovetails which face each other, a boltconnecting said jaw members, said bolt having a diameter smaller thanthe said opening, said bolt being disposed in said jaw members in aboutthe central plane of said opening and within the range of said recess,said jaw members being T-shaped when viewed in a direction perpendicularto one face of said link member, the ends of the transverse bar portionof said jaw members positively engaging opposite faces of said linkmember adjacent said opening, said jaw members when viewed from the sideof said link member having said opening therein presenting a widenedregion toward the said one side of the link, the opposite faces of saidlink member on the side of said link member opposite the side thereofhaving said opening therein comprise lateral projections protrudingoutwardly beyond the outer faces of said jaw members, said projectionsengaging the adjacent ends of the vertical bar portions of said jawmembers, said projections extending longitudinally of said link memberat least over the same range as the said adjacent ends of said verticalbar portions of said jaw members.
 9. A connecting link according toclaim 1 in which each boundary location of the opening at a time on bothsides of said link member has an inclined clamping surface therewith andthat both clamping surfaces are formed by dovetail configuration of saidlink member.